As the High Street gears up for the Christmas rush, research by SHL Group shows that nearly a third of customers are unhappy with the service that they receive from temporary seasonal staff.
When asked if they thought that the rise in seasonal staff resulted in a drop in service, 31% of those questioned agreed. This should come as worrying news to British retailers who are gearing up for a significant increase on last year’s disappointing consumer spend, which saw shops forced to reduce prices before the traditional Boxing Day sale period.
The drop in customer service could be linked to the attitudes and dependability of temporary workers. The research revealed that workers generally take temporary jobs far less seriously than permanent ones, sending a warning message to sectors that traditionally employ large numbers of temporary staff at Christmas. One in three people said that they were more likely to call in sick to a temporary job than a permanent one whilst 41% of those surveyed admitted they were far more likely to avoid responsibility in a temporary job.
The results also alert employers to the importance of taking care when recruiting younger workers over the seasonal period. Those aged between 18 and 24 were most likely to call in sick to a temporary job (65%), avoid responsibility (54%) and come into work with a hangover (32%).
Eugene Burke, Director of Design and Innovation, SHL Group said, “Two thirds of the retail industry’s annual turnover takes place in the November to January period, with the UK public expected to spend £11 billion this year on presents alone*”.
“Our research shows that there is a worryingly high level of dissatisfaction amongst the spending public when it comes to the service that they are provided with at Christmas. In order to ensure that the strong profit predictions for 2006 are realised, the retail industry must provide the highest level of service possible.
“As the research shows, hiring staff with good customer service skills is at the heart of the solution. Front line staff have the most significant impact on customer’s attitudes and likelihood to spend so when taking on temporary workers at this critical trading time, HR directors should ensure that they can screen out applicants with little desire to do well in a role and only hire those with commitment. Scientifically based tools can help to solve these problems by identifying those likely to be a risk in customer facing situations and those who are most likely to be effective in these roles. Scientifically based tools can provide an objective assessment of a person’s dependability. New technology in this field means that assessments can be delivered simply and quickly either in person, online or over the phone. If a robust method of recruitment is not adopted then we will see another disappointing year for British retailers.”
The research was undertaken by BMRB in November 2006, and included responses from 1,000 UK adults aged 16+.
*Statistics from the British Retail Consortium.